Just Wanted to Share...

This was a song our worship pastor's wife sang on Sunday morning last week. It is one of the most moving songs I've heard in a long time. I get chills when I hear it. The song is called "When the Saints" and it is written by a beautifully gifted young woman named Sara Groves. It's about rescue and freedom. I recommend listening to it after reading the words.

Lord I have a heavy burden of all I've seen and know
It's more than I can handle
But your word is burning like a fire shut up in my bones
and I cannot let it go

And when I'm weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought

I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

Lord it's all that I can't carry and cannot leave behind
it often overwhelms me
but when I think of all who've gone before and lived the faithful life
their courage compels me
And when I'm weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought

I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars

I see the shepherd Moses in the Pharaoh's court
I hear his call for freedom for the people of the Lord

And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
And when the Saints go marching in
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
I want to be one of them

I see the long quiet walk along the Underground Railroad
I see the slave awakening to the value of her soul

I see the young missionary and the angry spear
I see his family returning with no trace of fear

I see the long hard shadows of Calcutta nights
I see the sister standing by the dying man's side

I see the young girl huddled on the brothel floor
I see the man with a passion come and kicking down the door

I see the man of sorrows and his long troubled road
I see the world on his shoulders and my easy load

And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
and when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them

This song reminds me of Hebrews 11 and 12 in the New Testament of the Bible. Chapter 11 is often called the "Hall of Faith" and gives names of ordinary men and women who trusted God and His provision.

"1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." --Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV

Recently, I heard a teacher explain that the original Greek word for "founder" can also be translated as "captain". He then in referred to Jesus as "Captain Salvation". Although it was a little humorous, it is very fitting. He is our leader but also our hero. He is the one who inspired all of the men and women named in Hebrews and all of the men and women referred to in the song written by Sara Groves.

Jesus is the one who comes to kick down the door when we are huddled in the corner in slavery to sin, to addiction, to pain, to doubt, to depression... Jesus is the one who heals us from the wounds that bondage leaves....and Jesus is the one who gives us the strength to go back in to the fire to help others--just as the families of Jim Elliot and Steve Saint went back to the jungles to love and minister to the very ones who killed their husbands.

I hope this song encourages and compels you today to continue running the race Christ has set before us with passion. May we be "one of them".

Playing Catch Up

Wow! It has been along time since I last posted. We've had a lot going on the last few months...lots of new possibilities for our family and lots of waiting on the Lord's timing. So, in the last couple of weeks I've been trying to play catch up on the blog. I've given up on trying to feed the perfectionist monster in me, so I'm afraid things aren't quite in the right order. I'm sure you are devastated. So, the next few posts are my attempts to catch you up.